13. Oven Dome Insulation
Overview
After your oven dome and vent have been assembled, the
oven is covered with insulation, typically 3” of woven
ceramic insulating blanket, such as FB Blanket, with
optional loose insulation, such as vermiculite or perlite.
Unlike thermal mass, where too much can be a bad thing,
there isn't really such a thing as too much insulation. Woven
ceramic insulation has the advantages of being more
efficient and requiring using less space than other insulating
materials, and it provides better oven heat retention and
oven performance.
Loose insulators, on the other hand, tend to be slightly less
expensive. If cost is the overarching consideration,
vermiculite and perlite can be used either loose within the
oven enclosure, or with Portland cement to make insulating
concrete. They do not work as well as modern ceramic
products, but they will do in a pinch.
The Forno Bravo Pompeii Oven Kit includes enough FB
Blanket to fully insulate the oven dome with 3” of ceramic
insulation.
As a rule of thumb, FB Blanket provides roughly double the
insulating value of loose vermiculate (and more than double
vermiculite concrete, which is less efficient). Here are three
roughly equivalent insulating schedules.
FB Blanket
3”
1”
0
Vermiculite
0
4”
6+”
Instructions
Blanket insulation such as FB Blanket are easy to work
with, in that it is easy to cut and shape, and it tends to stay
where you place it. Always use a mask when working with
any ceramic fiber products.
When using multiple layers of FB Board take care to
stagger all joints.
An Igloo design oven can incorporate FB Blanket or a
combination of FB Blanket and insulating concrete
(vermiculite Portland cement) as part of the Igloo shape.
13.1. FB Blanket held in place with metal bands.
13.2 Multiple layers of FB Blanket.
Pompeii Oven Instructions
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